ITV acquires ‘Tiny World’ prodco Plimsoll Productions

Tiny World

The UK’s ITV has acquired a controlling stake in local natural history producer Plimsoll Productions in a deal valuing the firm at £131m ($160m).

ITV took a majority interest of 79.5% of the business, which is behind series including Apple+’s Tiny World and Animal for Netflix, for approximately £103.5 ($126m).

The stake has been acquired from private equity firm LDC, which made a minority share investment in Plimsoll in 2019.

The Bristol-based firm was founded in 2013 by former ITV factual boss Grant Mansfield, who will remain at the helm of the company, alongside recently promoted CCO Martha Holmes, creative director Tom Hugh-Jones, head of factual entertainment Karen Plumb and head of documentaries Richard Klein.

Following the deal, the Plimsoll team will work alongside ITV Studios MD Julian Bellamy, UK director of unscripted Angela Jain and their team.

The producer is also behind series including Giant World for Apple+; Hostile Planet and Supernatural Planet for Disney; Night On Earth for Netflix and the upcoming series, A Year on Planet Earth for ITV, Tencent in China, Fox Nation in the US and Ard Group in Germany, which is being distributed by ITV Studios.

Mansfield said that it was “the perfect time” for Plimsoll to join ITV Studios due to the “significant opportunities in the international premium unscripted market.”

ITV Studios’ Bellamy, meanwhile said that the addition of Plimsoll to the group “strengthens our position in supplying the best shows across all genres to buyers around the world.”